Tool coupling



Dec. 15, 1925. 1,555,529

C. S. THOMAS TOOL COUPLING Filed June 12, 1922 INVENToR. 07m/@LESS ZIJ/@MAS BY @@@MMW A TTORNEY 'CCI Patented Bec. i5, i925.. v

narranA STATES CHARLES S. THOMAS, OF SAN JIVEGO, CALIFORNA.

rooL coUrLING.

Application filed June 12, 1922. Serial No. 567,620.

new and useful Tool Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tools,- more particularly to coupling means for tools and the objects of my invention are, first, to pro-y vide a tool `coupling of this class which will securely hold the several parts of tools of' various kinds and from which the remov-` able parts may be easily removed; second, to provide a tool coupling of this class in which the various tool parts are held in absolute alinement with the tool receiving end of the tool holder; third, to provide a tool coupling of this class which will prevent the tool portion from getting out of the tool holder, getting loose or moving revolubly therewith; fourth, to provide a tool. coupling means in which the sleeve securing the shank portions of the tool and tool holder can be made small enough so that it can readily follow an extension drill of a diameter reasonably larger than the normal shank thereof; fifth, to provide a novelly constructed coupling means for tools, and sixth, to provide a device of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, durable, eliicient, easy to operate and which will not' readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in View as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel 'features of construction, combination `and arrangen'ieiit of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set lforth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure l is a side or plan view of a simple brace with my tool coupling means at the lower shank end thereof and with a drill held by the. tool coupling means, with` portions broken away to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an en larged scale taken through 2-7-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the brace or tool holder showingy a slightly modified forni of my tool coupling means; Fig. 4 is another slightly modified form of my tool coupling means shown secured to an orditools.

nary handle and having a screw driver meinber secured in said toolv coupling means.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The tool holder l, sleeve 2, and the tool member 3 constitute the principal parts and portions of my tool coupling in its preferred form.

The tool holder member l may be of any desired form, but preferably made for receiving and holding cutting and workingV The normally lowervshank portion .la of the brace, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, which is generally provided with tool receiving means is provided at its end with a slightly reduced portion lb with a transverse. hole lc provided in said reduced portion lb and connected with the end of the shank portion la with a longitudinal outwardly diverging slot ld, forming an indenture in the end of said shank la with an enlarged inner portion and resilient side portions so lthat the male portion 3a of the tool member 3 can easily be inserted transversely in said indenture and be retained therein.

It will ybe here noted that the `slot ld is preferably made slightly smaller than the vportion of theshank 3a conforming therewith and then sprung apart sufficiently to admit said shank making the outside diameter of the reduced portion l" of they shank l slightly larger than its normal diameter to provide a friction lock for the sleeve 2. A slot 1g is also provided in the shank l joining with the holelc on the opposite side from the slot ld adaptedto render the resilient side members more iexible. The shank portion l of said tool holder l is also provided with threads le, a portion of the distance from the reduced portion l" adapted to engage the internal threads on the externally knurled sleeve 2. Said sleeve is internally threaded the greater distance of its bore, the inside diameter of which is uniform throughout, so that it will serve as a solid sleeve over the joint portions of the various members. Whenl it is desired to remove the tool member held by said tool holder, the sleeve 2 is screwed inwardly' until the one end thereof passes beyond the transverse cylindricall portion of the joined members, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawings, the'member 3 may thenA be removed and another substituted.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings I have showi itu a slightly modiiied form of my tool coupling means in which the shank portion l is threaded at and near its ends instead oft spaced. therefrom as previously described. The shank of the tool member 3 is preferably slightly smaller than the diameter of the shank portion l and is removed from the tool holder by screwing the sleeve 2 in the opposite direction from that as shown in Fig. l and slips over the shank of the tool member 3. lt will be noted that the sleeve 2 is made considerably smaller than the one previously7 described and the shank l2L of the tool holder l is more simple of construction, making the latter device more economical to manufacture.

ln Fig. l of the drawings l have shown anothei slightly modified form of construction from that shown in Fig. l, in that a reduced portion oit the shank ot the tool holder is on the opposite side from the threaded portion permitting the sleeve to butt up against the shoulder lf when securing the various tool members 3 in position in t-he socket of said tool holder.

Though l have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions and certain n'iodifications thereof l doy not wish to be limited to this particular construct-ion, con'ibination and arrangement nor to the modifications thereof, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in. the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tool coupling, including a shank member provided with a transverse hole therethrough and wit-h reduced and outwardly diminishing` iurcations with iin ends, a tool member having a transverse head and a reduced outwardly increasing, angled male end conforming in shape but slightly larger than the opening formed by the furcations, said head fitting tightly the hole and said angled end adapted to spread the urcations of said shank member making it larger, and a sleeve adapted to fit over said shank member and be shifted thereon toward the tool member for clamping said tool member between the urcations ot said shank.

2. A tool coupling, including a shank member provided with a circular transverse hole therethrough and with reduced and outwardly diminishing` furcations with tin ends, a tool member having a circular transverse head and va reduced, outwardly increasing, angled male end conforming in shape but slightly larger than the opening formed by the furcations, said head fitting tightly the circular hole and said angled end adapt-ed to spread the furcations of said shank member making its end larger, and an internally threaded sleeve adapted to iit over said shank member and be shifted thereon toward the tool member tor clamp- CHARLES THOMAS. 

